DAY TRIP

M/S J. L. Runeberg takes you through the enchanting Eastern archipelago from Helsinki to the heart of Porvoo. The ship departs from the Market Place at 10.00 am. The voyage takes approx. 3 ½ hours one-way. On board you can enjoy e.g. the salmon soup lunch.

In Porvoo you have approx. 2,5 hours to spend. Walk along the streets in the old town where you will find small boutiques, charming cafés and excellent restaurants. Return from Porvoo at 16.00 hours and you will be back in Helsinki at 19.25

​

Porvoo, Borgå in Swedish, is Finland’s second oldest town. The Porvoo Castle was built on the hill and the town was named Borgå ("castle river") in Swedish. The Porvoo parish and the church originated in the 13th century. The church was first built of wood, later of stone. It was founded high on the hill to dominate the town.

​

Six towns were established in Finland during the Middle Ages. Some of them grew to be towns without any official order having been issued. This was the case with Porvoo, which got the town rights after Turku in the 14th century. The story tells that in 1346 Maunu Eerikinpoika (Magnus Eriksson), then the King of Sweden, visited Porvoo and granted the town rights there and then.

​

Visit also the home of the Finnish National Poet J.L.Runeberg who composed the words of the Finnish national anthem. The house and surroundings give and interesting picture of housing and life in the mid-19th century Finland.

​

On Saturdays there is also a possibility to take the old train to Porvoo.